


We're Gonna Live Forever

by DBSlut



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Masturbation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:22:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24135031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DBSlut/pseuds/DBSlut
Summary: David King opens his eyes to a rainy night and a killer in his face. It appears that things outside of the trials are also changing, in any case, he has learned that the killers are more than just merciless and heartless beings, they're actual people. Here's how the stubborn man falls for the one he once feared.
Relationships: David King/Evan MacMillan | The Trapper, Dwight Fairfield/David King
Comments: 1
Kudos: 39





	1. Whispers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;3 just a small fixation i recently got into, it's meant to be kinda casual so dont mind if i make a ton of mistakes ><

* * *

David King awoke to a strange smell weaving through the humid air. It had been ages since he had actually slept nicely in the Entity's domain. Opening his eyes, he expected to see the same old starry night, but instead, an unfamiliar ceiling had greeted him. Strange, they didn't have anything like this in the campfire. Everything that they had built from before would just reset the next day. Regardless, he had to get to the others. When he tried to move, a sharp pain echoed from his left ankle. _"Fuck, is this another trial- I don't remember bringing that perk."_

The surroundings told a different story. Tall grass was nowhere to be seen, and neither was there any palettes or windows. Instead, an assortment of ritualistic items decorated the walls of some kind of interior. Offerings- small tokens to please the wretched being that keeps him and his comrades stuck here. His fingers were intertwined with a heap of cool leaves underneath him and a ragged cloth above. Both rested on top of a few plank boxes as if to replicate a bed. As poor as it may seem, such brought excitement to David. Normally, he would be the skeptical kind, but with all the exhausting death games as of the recent, he threw away his questions and sank back down to rest. Something tells him that he was in good hands.

In mere moments of that thought, heavy pounding met the flooring to his left, as if threatening to break apart the stairs on the other side. Adrenaline shot through the roof- those footsteps unmistakably belongs to one of the first killers he had encountered. His eyes darted across the room for any possibility of escape, but focusing was beyond his ability now. He had let his guard down, and now the thundering sound stunned him. The fight in him had vanished, only leaving a dry husk of fear to drive his actions. In a desperate attempt for survival, he dove his arm first into the hard ground to crawl, hitting his elbow and sending a wave of shock through his whole body. By the time the killer had arrived at the top of the stairs, the sound of David falling to the ground prompted him to smash through the door to see the limp figure lying on the floor. He spared no time to brush off the bits of wood and knelt by the man, grabbing him by the sides of his mandible. "Where do you think you're going?" 

The killer cocked his head as if awaiting an answer. Futile as it was, David grit his teeth and tried to wring free from the grasp. His breathing had become rough and coarse as the pressure from the hold tightened. It was difficult to brace himself for incoming death, despite having to go through that motion so many times. This was no different. The holes on the mask seemed so endless, it terrified him.

The trapper let out a dissatisfied grunt before holding David up and throwing him back onto the bed, scattering the earthy contents and almost breaking a part of the structure. He eyed the man now tucked away against the wall and folded his arms. "A-Away from the likes of you, that's for sure," David shot back. Readying himself to use anything as a weapon, he gripped the edge of one of the wooden boxes. 

A hefty sigh left the killer's mouth. It reeked of exhaustion, and paired with it was the rhythmic tapping of raindrops against the window. It was on days like these where rain drove away the mad silence, that the trapper would feel peace. Yet of all the times, it was this very sacred day that he felt the need to take a deep breath. "You run now, and I'll make sure you never take a single step again." With that, he trudged his way downstairs, leaving the horrified man alone. 

Questions began to flood David's head. Did the killers always have the ability to speak? He had read somewhere in the archives of their past and had always thought that they were too insane for rational thought much less speech. Of course, there was an exception from the occasional cackle with the doctor- but then again, those aren't really words. And… what's with the trapper's behavior? He would've expected to have died or be hanging on one of those rusty hooks by now. How did he even get here in the first place? _"Am I dreaming?!"_

Reluctantly, the man stayed put, there wasn't much he could really do with an injured leg- plus, it didn't seem like the masked man had any intent on hurting him right now. Then again, there was no reason he should be kept here. David winced at a dark thought passing by, perhaps he was about to be tortured. After all, there were several times where the killer in the trial would torment just for the sake of tormenting. Just then, a spark of inspiration flashed by his eyes. With some effort, David managed to rip off a few planks from the boxes underneath him and with the bandages in his pocket, he fastened a clumsy splint around his right leg. The window directly across from him seemed to glow with the thought of escape fresh on his mind. Moving around in the splint wasn't too much of a problem for him as he had done so many times, but with the mess sprawled across the scratchy rug, extra care had to be taken so as to not alert the man below. 

Eventually, the window frame was within arm's reach. From the looks of it, the drop isn't the highest that he has fallen from, but it was certainly daunting. "The tall grass will cushion me. Besides, even if I die, I'll probably end up back at the camp." David shrugged off that morbid thought with an awkward chuckle. His palms had already begun to sweat and his legs shook. Suddenly, the dreadful sound of the killer's return echoed through the wall. In just a few seconds, would he be face to face again with the ominous man, yet all he could do is freeze. The only thing now driving him forward is the clamminess of his hands, and with that, he slipped and fell through the window.

A loud thud and a familiar sharp noise followed David. He turned in horrid as the pain did not come from the height but rather, a bear trap that had been laid earlier. "Fuck- agh! Fuckin' hell!" The sharp jaws of the contraption had snapped the splint in two and dug itself into his flesh. His fist met the mud in frustration- he could already hear the killer's heavy footsteps despite the downpour. What a pathetic way to go down he thought to himself. He had always been the one who freed his teammates from these traps, he boasts with a near trap-free track record so far. Never did he want to go through the pain from one again.

Spots in his vision began to blacken as he felt the impending sensation of unconsciousness or death. But just then, his body rose with two warm and gentle hands to support it. In spite of the trap and rain, it had brought a bit of comfort to his already tired heart. "What the hell did I tell you?" The booming voice had wrung his fantasy dry as the man slung David over his shoulder. Who was he kidding? There was no guardian angel, it was just the trapper.

* * *

He had awakened hours later to the same muted raindrops pricking the sides of the window. Unmoving, he let his eyes wander, fixating on the distorted ceiling where a bump had formed- most likely from a pipe leakage. Grogginess and a headache kept his eyes closed when he shuffled out of the bed, only to have stepped on a boot. David flinched at the sight of the same masked man, hunched over from an uneven chair. His pose was as stiff as a rock, like if he had been overseeing David this whole time. By now, his initial fear had been overtaken by irritation. This was absurd. "Ugh, what's your problem?" 

The killer leaned back and dug his hand into the several pockets. David furrowed his brows when the man had pulled out a crumpled box of cigarettes. First they talk, and now they're acting like actual people? The surreal moment caught him off guard, but more than that, he was slightly amused when the stick of tobacco was paired with a match to light it. Averting his eyes at the weird combination, David continued, "Are you going to kill me now?" 

It wasn't rhetorical but the only answer was a few exhales of smoke. After blowing a couple of puffs directly into David's face, the trapper swung his arm to the side to tap off the hanging remains of ash. The cigarette had almost lost all of its contents in a matter of a couple of breaths, making David wonder just how messed up is that man's throat? The killer had kept his hand outstretched for a couple more seconds before offering the remaining bits to the rugged survivor. Feeling mocked, David flicked his wrist and knocked the cig out of the killer's hand. "What do you want fr-"

Before he could finish, the huge man stood up in a frenzy, knocking the chair behind him against the wall to shatter. With an excessive stomp, crows just outside of the shack flew off and the last light of the cigarette faded. As if that wasn't enough to terrify David, the man swooped down and pinned the smaller man against the rough bed frame. The ground underneath his back seemed to shudder as if on the verge of collapse, but that's none of the killer's concern who only pushed harder. "You ask too many questions." Their faces were close, too close. David was subjected to stare into the abyss that was the dark sockets on the mask- even with such proximity, he couldn't make out any signs of eyes, only darkness. It didn't help that the mask did nothing to lessen the smell of smoke, so much so that he turned into a coughing mess.

When the grip was taken off and he had finished coughing, David sat upright once more in silence. He could tell that the killer was very agitated as he only then noticed that he had lost a chair. "Agh! See what you've done?!" The killer leans to the side and grabs a bowl from top of the night stand. Next to his leg was a big cylindrical pot where he scoops up a bowlful of some kind of soup. A bit of the contents spill on the floor before it is able to reach David's hands, although it doesn't seem like he noticed. He was tempted to splash it back on the killer as it does feel hot, but he decides to consume it anyway, if it was poison, well he'll just end up back at the camp.

As he preps himself with a small sip and the soup slips in, a wondrous rejuvenation washes over the disgruntled man. He only then realized that it has been weeks since he has eaten anything, much less anything actually tasty. The sips progressed into huge gulps, catching chunks of potatoes and carrots mixed in. Even in that bliss, David found a moment to direct his hate to the killers. Were they living in this luxury compared to the barely alive survivors? They even had vegetation… whereas back with his teammates, food was scarce, and often the better thing to do was to purposely die in one of those trials to refresh their stomachs. Regardless, he was a selfish man, so he tossed that thought aside and tried his best to hide his excitement in front of actual food.

"W-Why are you doing this to me?" he asks. The killer swipes the bowl from David and quickly takes in two full ones. "Don't know. In my territory." Then it struck him, he wasn't in a trial. But if he wasn't in one, where was he? It couldn't be the real world since he still feels a part of the Entity's spare perks. Closing his eyes to recollect, he remembered taking a night stroll the day before and being caught in something painful, but that was as far as it goes. "Don't tell me… I thought we were separated- oh god." If what he came to a conclusion on was correct, it meant that the killers and survivors could reach each other outside of the trials. "And, you could talk this entire time?!" 

He shakes his head and was about to respond when a loud knock came to his door. A soothing voice followed, one that was of a woman, "Evan! It's our turn for harvesting!" The trapper adjusted his mask before turning back to David. He raised the injured man's leg much to the dismay and pain from David, as if to warn him of leaving again. Then as he turns his back to David, he lets out a wicked laughter. "Escape northwest, if you can."

David looks around in confusion as he is alone again. He carefully steps out of the bed and peeks out the window where he clearly makes out the silhouettes of both the trapper and huntress, walking through a couple of bushes before vanishing. Staring at himself and the loose bandages that wrapped around him, he wondered, _"What kinda twisted relationship is this?"_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lets see how long this fixation lasts :P


	2. Empathy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> small naughty scene ahead ;_;

* * *

"Stop." Evan says. He pushed back the lady with his arm. In front of the two laid a bear trap, hidden in the tall threads of grass. Skillfully, the man dug through the greeneries and found that the trap had already been set off. The jaws of which had caught and killed a small rabbit- a sight that would upset Anna. "Hmm, small," he said, before quickly skinning the animal and tossing the rest to the huntress. 

The woman gently cupped the rabbit in her hands, observing a dull expression ingrained into its face. Running her fingers across the indents of the trap's sharp points, she wondered if it had suffered. Although she was disturbed, Anna knew she would have no say in stopping this- after all, it was she that proposed to the others and organized this whole system. Despite his typical demeanor, Evan caught sight of her sorrow. "You don't have to eat. Just go starve in a corner."

"I know, but all we've been getting are rabbits and squirrels. What about the 'bear' in bear traps?" Evan raised the trap and wiggled it mockingly before pointing back at the woman. The irony of the situation caught up to her in a heartbeat. "Who would've guessed they used to call you the Bear?" he said while reopening the contraption.

The huntress considered throwing one of her hatchets, but she knew that without the trapper, she would probably get caught in one of his traps later on. "Who said it? I don't like that name." And as if he didn't hear her, Evan pushed himself off the ground and gestured to her to follow. The old shack was stationed on a small hill, a good enough height to warrant caution when jumping off on the other side- especially since it's filled with his contraptions anyway. "This way," he said before leaping off the elevation to the side. Him and the lady's footwear didn't end up in a trap but instead, on some farming plot. "H-Hey! We could've walked around." She was already kneeling down and trying to repair the partially broken turnip. It was truly a surprise when they found out that the cracked earth beneath them was fertile enough to grow vegetables. Perhaps this place that the Entity had kept them in wasn't the worst.

Ever since then, the community has been growing, including the killers; their most recent additions being the neighborhood dog Demogorgon and some cowboy from another time. Anna has been trying her best to keep things organized, but of course, there were a limited amount of possibilities with everyone's eccentric nature. Regardless, she kept tabs on each and everyone's job everyday. "No use, I'll be careful next time." Evan was tasked with patrolling the west area, a tree-dense region perfect for his set of skills. At some point, it seemed like there was another section that looked exactly like theirs- like a mirrored forest. The trapper was the only one that knew this but had never ventured too far from their territory- only until yesterday, did he find David.

"Evan?" He hadn't moved an inch after jumping down and only stared back at the shack above them. Wondering if it was the wrong thing to have given into his curiosity and picked up the man, he continued, "Sorry, spaced out."

"You're a strange one." she said with a hint of playfulness in her voice. Remembering all the times he had to face David, he has recognized him as a reckless but effective man. Out of the fear that he might've already started returning back to his people, the trapper pointed to an alternative route away from the one he gave to the survivor, "My trail continues this way."

* * *

The heavy brush that was once a chore now seemed reassuring as David weaved through it with a full stomach, the taste of potatoes still lingering in his mouth. He had hoped to make it back before dawn, but by now the tiny streams of light were already penetrating the thick forest. Despite the injured leg for the second time, and the muddy ground, his momentum picked up without the slightest indication that he would slip. It had seemed like even the rain had let up, as if leaving the killer's shack had a profound effect on the weather, not that he was complaining, David despised the rain. It didn't take long for a clearing within the trees to show itself- at last, the campfire.

Several eyes shot up at the man who had just rustled through the tall grass. "D-David! Is that you?" Dwight was the first to jump up from a log seat, followed by Claudette and Feng. He found himself soon bombarded with questions. _"Is this how he felt?"_ he thought, nearly saying it out loud. Giving a warm and long hug to three, he patted them on their backs and shuffled his way forward to the rest of the survivors. From the corner against the tree, Meg had a stern look, "You're finally back. Where the hell were you?" 

Her feet softly tapped the ground but in a way that was quite noticeable, "Well?" Although her intentions were louder than the rest at the campfire, everyone else must've wondered the same as a clear anxiety and uncertainty was written on their faces. "Haha… before that, can you help me out here?" David was about to show off his injury but Claudette was already on it, dragging him down to sit so she could get a better look. Through her skill, she made quick work of it, replacing the messy and already bloodied bandages with one of her kits. "You don't have to do that for him, just let that idiot reset the next time he lands in a trial." 

At the mention of that, memories of the past couple hours overshadowed the moment. "Speaking of trial, I have something to say- I don't think I was in-"

"Yes, we already know that!" Meg snapped back, her voice was sassy. She gave a quick sigh and threw something to the side before walking towards David. "Look around you, we're missing twelve people- the perfect number for three trials. We saw them all get picked up by that spidery freak of a thing a couple of minutes ago, three trials! In broad daylight too!" The man opened his mouth to speak but Meg continued, "And you have the nerve to disappear the whole night? We're supposed to all group up by midn-"

"I saw a killer."

"Don't interrupt- wait what?! Say that again." 

"I saw a killer, well, two of them actually, the trapper and the huntress, but I don't think I was in a trial." David stood up and partially faced the rest of the survivors. "I was taking a midnight stroll-" he caught another aggressive stare from Meg, "-and I t-think I got stuck in one of his traps." Bill flicked his cigarette into the dying flames between them all to which David pointed at, "And at one point he was smoking!"

"O-Okay, uhm, David? I think you should get some rest." said Feng. By then, a combination of speculation, amusement, and fear filled the air. "Wait, I'm serious." Much to his dismay, he pulled off an explanation that was far more convoluted than it had to be, but it seemed that everyone had a gist on the situation and had a few more things to add.

"You were in a house?"

"That's so pathetic, how did you not see the bear trap when falling through?"

"You had SOUP?!"

"Hmph, I think I see what's going on now." Nea was the closest to the campfire, her eyes were focused, unwilling to leave the scrap piece of paper she was sketching on. "I threw an extra one or two pieces of hardwood into the campfire yesterday. And if you count how much there is… you'll see that it hasn't reset. Also," she pointed to the side where Meg threw away some thin bones, "she found fish in the river. Now you've just come back telling us you saw killers out there."

"There's also the trials," Meg added, "It used to be always at night time, and only one group was dragged over! We all know this, what's your point?"

"Woah ladies, ladies, let's not get riled up now." It was strange for a bit that no one had mentioned Ace being so quiet, as he was regarded as the usual talkative womanizing prick. "So what if things are changing? We have food now!"

"Crazy bastard, all we got is fish, and we don't even know if there's going to be enough." Meg returned to her spot under the tree and crossed her arms. "Plus, I don't want to only be eating fish." The girl quickly eyed Dwight, "But I'm sure a few people would be satisfied with anything."

"Hey, now you leave Dwighty boy alone… We don't have to only eat fish ya know? If there's fish, who's to say there aren't other animals, and remember what the man said earlier? Them blasted killers got their hands on some vegetables."

Claudette ears perked up, "Yes! We can plant vegetables! The killers had to have done the same right? David?" She turned to where the man was expecting some confirmation but he had already walked a few meters away to find a sleeping spot. Leaving the rest of them to explain to the others returning from their trials.

* * *

David sat by a stump surrounded by grasses of varying heights. No matter that the whole night had left him drowsy, he couldn't find the will to fall asleep. Instead, his mind was disturbed with the events that had transcribed a few hours ago. How he dreaded staying in the presence of the trapper for that long- to feel so restrained, but at the same time, there was a wicked kind of comfort he felt being taken care of. _"What the hell am I thinking, am I some kind of pet?"_ Retracing his steps, David pressed against one of his shoulders where the big man had pinned him down before and his breaths began to quicken. His eyes naturally fell towards his crotch as his cock started to stiffen and push uncomfortably against his tight pants. Useless as it was, the man tried to relax himself so as not to give in, but some forbidden urges were just too much to contain. Before he knew it, his belt came undone and his erection stood shamelessly in the hot night. _"I'm such a pervert."_

Pushing his elbow behind him for support on top of the tree stump, he found a comfortable position and began bucking his hips, letting his entire length penetrate his grip. Combined with his stroking, it became a chaotic mess of back and forth motion. David needed more to wrestle his feelings out. With the index finger of his stroking hand, he began rubbing the tip of his cock for a more sensual feeling. It didn't help that the image of the trapper was still fresh in his mind, the leftover pain from his leg made sure he remembered it. "Nghh-"

David held his breath and froze, hoping that he wouldn't spill that quickly. The primal smell of his musk was violent, his body wanted to come, to release some bottled up shame and get it over with. How long has it been since he had last had the energy to want to jack off? The numbers didn't matter, he just knew that he was fighting against at least two weeks worth of pent up ecstasy. His cock was on the brink of bursting with both the pleasure and pain of his hold sending him into a sexual frustration.

His breathing resumed as he felt the oncoming wave of pleasure fall back. Slowly, he continued tending to his engorged erection- making sure to apply pressure to his balls when he had reached the base each time. By now, his cock was covered from top to bottom with a thin layer of precome, giving the experience an entirely different feel as he neared the climax. David closed his eyes as he started stroking his length with rhythmic circular motions. A mix of hot and wet sensations overcame him the more he thought about the masked man, how it would feel to be pinned down again. _"This isn't me."_ he thought, panting as beads of sweat began to form around his head and neck area. 

With one more harsh buck, he let his grip fall and clutched his balls. "Haah… mm- mmph-" The gruff and husky moan trailed off as David came. Holding that uncomfortable position, his cock jerked with every rope of white he shot out until he was eventually spent. Carefully so to savor the moment, David let himself down and took his elbow off the stump. The rest of his efforts went to rubbing out the final few drops of cum.

David walked over to the river to clean himself and ended up discarding his jacket since it was covered in sweat and a thick musky smell. He would just die the next trial and hope that the Entity would put his clothes back on like usual. That night, David King slept well, unknowing that the next day would bring something much more.  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wahh thanks for reading!!


	3. Remember Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope i didnt make too many mistakes ;; i had no idea what i was writing lol

* * *

Even though the hot sun was beating down against the leaves and the air became soaked with its heat, David opened his eyes feeling refreshed. Luckily, the random spot that he picked for his little indulgent activity earlier was within the shade of a nearby tree. _"Agh, where's my shirt… oh,"_ he thought as he rubbed his eyes, "It must be around afternoon now." 

Naturally, David returned to the campfire, or at least what's left of it. Much of the tall grass surrounding the place had been cleared out and what replaced the same old bundle of firewood in the middle was a small black spot where the fire had once roared. A cluster of bangs and visceral noises came from all sorts of directions, one that resembled that of a construction area.

"David! Did you have a nice s- woah-" Dwight was once again the first one to run up to him but unlike accepting a hug like a couple hours ago, his hands were up to his face, covering his eyes. "P-Put on a shirt man!" 

"Aww, you afraid of a little skin Dwight?" The man pulled the shy leader into a playful chokehold, "C'mon don't be shy, observe my… muscles!" The moment couldn't get any more embarrassing for Dwight. He has always been shy with everything outside of leadership, especially when it came to bodies. "O-Okay, just let me go." 

"So, what's everyone up too, seems a bit more busy than usual." David took another glance in front of him. A majority of the horrible noise was coming from Ash who has been using his chainsaw on nearby trees. Off to the side, Claudette was working to plow the uneven land, probably for vegetation later on. And in the midst of all that chaos, Jeff and Tapp were marching from one side to another carrying a couple of planks resembling lumber. Regardless of the processing quality, the area they were bringing the resources to was shaping up to be suitable for lodging.

"Impressive right? Meg and a couple of the others started talking about making this place at least somewhat comforta- agh, please let me go." David caught sight of Meg in the distance and decided to release his hold. "Where's everyone else right now?" he asks.

Dwight cleared his throat and hummed a "I don't know" before pointing at Meg, "She's doing most of the organizing work right now, go ask her." David scratched the back of his head and placed his hands into his pockets. He had never been very enthusiastic when it came to Meg. She was the bossy leader type and for some odd reason, it felt like she had some kind of vendetta against David. Unlike Dwight who is accepting of everyone, her lead was just too aggressive. _"Then again, I suppose I can respect that…"_

With the rebellious survivor in the corner of her eye, Meg dropped her train of thought and turned towards the approaching man. "Why are you shirtless?" her voice was exhausted.

David embraced the overworked woman with open arms, "Gee, you must've been at this all morning." Unamused, she stepped aside to avoid his hug, "Ugh, don't touch me-" her hand reached up to her nose for a light pinch,"- you smell horrible." Dwight had followed up behind and took a peek from behind the bigger man.

"You two should really follow everyone's example and be productive for once. No wonder you guys don't usually survive the trials." David took offense to that but looked around the area for any sign of work, "Yeah… where is everyone anyway? And what are _you_ doing missy?" 

The athlete shook her head, "You wouldn't understand, anyway," Meg pointed towards her right past the tiny plot Claudette was tending to, "everyone's exploring in different directions, you two go check out that way." With Dwight nodding nervously behind him, he gave in to it and started his way past Meg. He had never been to this direction before, it wasn't in his comfort to be in an open area with as little trees to hide as those in the trials.

"So Dwight? How do you feel about all these new changes going on?" The man behind had been fumbling around with a camping aid kit for half an hour as he struggled to catch up. "Huh? Oh, it's, it's new." 

"What?" 

"I just thought you'd ask something l-like uh, what are we looking for?" David stifles a chuckle and waits for him to finish organizing whatever he was doing. Dwight was a peculiar but good guy, maybe even too good. Something about that really stuck to him. Often, he'd find that the first person he looks forward to talking with was… well, Dwight. "You don't have to be so tense all the time you know." 

Some of the nosy ones have actually speculated that David had the hots for the shy man; those being Quentin, Feng, and especially Nea. "Sorry, I'm not very good at that." In some way, they weren't wrong. He would probably start dating if Dwight had the courage to actually ask him out. But of course, it's hard to imagine the guy would ever initiate. "Hmm, alright then, so what are we looking for?" Even if it was painstakingly obvious that there were some concealed feelings.

In a dramatic fashion, he adjusted his glasses and looked down, "I don't know." David gave an awkward look and stared Dwight dead in the eye like if they were in a blinking competition, but it didn't take long for the latter man to avert his gaze. "Arg- that wasn't very cool was it?" 

He placed his hand on Dwight's shoulder before bursting into laughter. Once again, the nervous guy had his hands covering his face in shame. It was truly difficult for him to understand any sense of charisma. But that was part of why David found him so pleasing to converse with. "Haha, never change Dwight, it's why I like you."

That comment threw Dwight's mind even further into a flustered fit. "Y-You don't really mean th-" 

A sudden noise erupted through the exchange, like a couple of light stomping, sending both survivors hiding behind the thin trees. Chowing down on a patch of grass a couple of feet away was a familiar animal. The staple consumable resource in survival- the deer. "What do we do?" Dwight whispers, but David was already doing his own thing. He had stepped out into the opening with a sizable rock in an attempt to predict the animal's escape pattern, but ultimately ended up missing with all the obstacles in the way. 

"Well, that didn't go as well as I thought it would." Dwight stood up from where he was hiding and followed up with a short laugh. "But it's great, we now know there are bigger animals in the forest. Should we head back to the others? There were noticeable trails in the soft mud, but David knew he probably had no way to hunt the deer even if he caught up to it. "Yeah. There's probably someone a lot better suited for hunting."

* * *

"You really, have a lot of energy don't you?" The huntress was lagging behind the trapper who had already ventured quite the distance even with all the stops they had to make checking for catches. "Deal with it, I'm tired too." he responded, his posture was slacking from the lazy nature of how he reactivated his traps.

"Do you remember every trap you place? I swear we've already gone through over twenty different areas, and if I'm being honest, my back is killing me." But much of the complaints from the woman fell on deaf ears as Evan's mind was elsewhere. Thoughts of David had been on and off his thoughts all day, like a peckish irritation. It was a miracle he hadn't accidentally stepped into one of his own contraptions while working like so.

"Do you want to stop here?" It's still pretty early compared to our usual patrols. Anna paused and threw her gaze to the almost-setting sun. Evan was quite right- the usual operation would last way longer, usually an hour or two past sunset. "I don't understand, we've been getting less and less out of our harvest. We couldn't be unknowingly wiping out some animal populations right?"

Currently, they've only managed to gather a dozen rabbits and a pig that rested on Evan's shoulder. "Makes no sense. The Entity creates these things for us, there's no such thing as population control here." Despite having said that, the trapper did feel an odd sense of dread with the harvests as of the recent. The entire week amounted to a significantly lesser quantity of edible goods than the previous. "I hope you're right- in any case, going back might be a good idea. If we're lucky, the rest might've gotten better results. Amanda and Rin said they discovered a river nearby." 

The trapper agreed in silence, and started leading the safe way back after readjusting the final trap of the day. Secretly, he had hoped David was still back at the shack as there was much more he wanted to say. But upon arrival, he didn't even need to check upstairs to know that the man had already left. Careless scratch marks decorated the already crumbling porch, and it seemed like none of his bear traps had been triggered so that oddly brought relief to Evan. Leaving the rest of the community dinner preparations to Anna, the killer stepped back into his home only to have one of his own devices slam their jaws into his boot by the doorway. "Bastard."

* * *

Coming back to the campfire brought joy to David, as he saw most of his comrades now sitting scattered throughout the upgraded place. The usual bundle of combustibles in the center had now progressed into a large bonfire and there was much more liveliness in the air, of course, with good reason. Even Bill, who had always gone under the guise of a hardened soldier, had a faint smile. And perhaps the most exciting development laid in its full glory across the several new stools; a cabin-like building had been built with a refined amber color. 

Out of the corner, Feng snuck up on David and poked him in his sides, wondering if he would have a ticklish reaction. "Hehe, you're so boring!" said the girl. Her eyes have been twinkling with curiosity and her cheeks were flushed ever since she noticed the two of them walking back together. In an instant, it was clear something naughty was on her mind. Dragging him behind a tree, Feng went into a low whisper, "So, how did it go?"

David gave a light-hearted chuckle, "Feng, I think you got the wrong idea. There's nothing secretive between me and Dwight." But as it was in her nature, she didn't back down. "C'mon… if you're going to try to hide it, you're going to have to do better. You can't tell me you two didn't do anything with you coming back looking- looking like this!" At that pause, her voice audibly went into a higher pitch. _"Ahh, she's talking about my shirt."_ David caught sights of Dwight talking to Claudette and did his best to hide his leer. "Well… it's a bit embarrassing, but all I can say is that he was very tense while we- you know." He elbowed her jokingly, "I think you should ask him instead."

The color of her face progressed from pink to a hot red, almost like a tomato. Smoke practically came out of her ears as she gave in to a suppressed squeal of a girl who got what she wanted. "Y-Your secret is safe with me." Feng shook David's hands and skipped towards the bonfire to pick up a skewered fish.

"David!" A voice was calling him from a bundle of hay that had been stacked against the corner of a wall made of log stakes. Meg's mood seemed to have improved since they last spoke but the typical snotty air still hung above her.

"Wow, tons of new things I see." The greedy guy leaned over and picked up the leaf holding a slab of cooked meat from besides her and began to chow down. "Ooo, what's this?"

"That, would be mutton. Anyway, you're right, to think there was so much here we couldn't explore before, now we got something…" her voice faded out before she could finish. 

"Someone's been shouting a lot today." David said, still eyeing the delicious scrap of meat in his hands.

"Oh shut up. Anyway-" she cleared her throat, "-did you and Dwight find anything on your end?" Meg stood up and tossed a skewer into a small makeshift bin. "Everyone got some nice results so I wouldn't be surprised if there's something good in your direction too." 

"We did see a deer." Her serious face fell off with the mention of the word "deer". "There is deer. Like- the big animals that run with f-

"Yep. Oh, but I couldn't hunt it down." 

"That's a whole week worth of meat if we ration it well! Are you kidding me, this is great!" Like a scene in a movie, everyone within hearing distance went silent with only the crackle of the fire to bridge the gap between the moments. "I haven't had good meat in forever!" someone chimed in, which soon followed with an avalanche of hopeful chatter.

* * *

At the end of the day, everyone was bursting at the seams with excitement, wondering about the future and what it held if they continued growing out. Most of everyone was stuffed and nearly passed out on the comfortable beds made of hay. The sky at this point had transformed into a beautiful shade of purple, with distant stars to fill the canvas. It made the fire around the survivors glow with even greater vibrancy. 

Under this moonlight, David was restless as he was not one to eat much. He was simply satisfied and caught Dwight sitting on a table, longingly staring up at the sky. "Still awake?" David hopped up and seated himself next to Dwight- his weight displaced the structure for a moment, giving the man beside him a jump.

"Ah- yeah, y-you can't sleep either?" 

"Ehh, I already had a good sleep in the morning, plus, two hours until midnight." Dwight adjusted himself and leaned back, "Right. It still feels so unreal, to be having this much fun here…"

"As bad as it sounds, good things will always come to an end sometime." Dwight gave a worried look but he understood what David meant. In the back of his mind, there was still fright, fear of going back to the trials- fear of the killers… finding this place.

"But you know, there's no point in worrying, just- ah-" David positioned himself so that his back laid on the table, "-relax and let the good things come." 

"That'll probably give you some back problems later o-"

"Hey, relax, you gotta let loose sometime." David closed his eyes and wondered if this way, he'd be able to drift off to sleep, even though a trial was probably only a few hours away.

"David, I have some- um, something I want to say." The man laying down gave a short "mm" to signal Dwight to continue. _"He's going to confess isn't he? Haha, if he does I guess we'll be a thing- I don't know how I can say n-"_

"I like you. We're totally different people, but I think I still like you." Dwight paused and waited if David had anything to say. "Mhmm, go on."

"Aha- I didn't really do a good job at hiding it did I? I'm always nervous when under pressure but, sometimes I see you and that just… fades away you know?" David covered his own face with his hand, doing his best to contain his happiness, but it was futile, his smile broke out, his heart was racing, and his breathing was messy, waiting for the perfect moment to say "yes". 

"And, I want to do something like that for you too. I know it might seem weird since it's from a guy, and it's me that's asking- even if it's just a label. Will you be my boyfriend?"

David wondered if he deserved this, if being this happy is a good thing here. Doesn't the Entity feed on hope _and_ despair? What would the future hold? " _Why am I getting so flustered about this? If I say yes, that'll just mean we're dating. Maybe it'll work out, maybe not. Well, there's no point worrying about that."_

"Argh, fuck it, I like you too."

David opened his eyes and the moment he did, all traces of color slipped away from his face. His eyes widened and his heart went haywire, shuffling between beats. Beads of sweat as heavy as iron, pushed its way out of his body and crashed to the ground. With his hand grasping his chest in an attempt to stop it from bursting, he prepared to break into a sprint as soon as the tall figure in the distance noticed him.

The trapper.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the entity strikes again ^^


	4. Diversion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont mind that david suddenly speaks different, ill go back and edit the other chapters once i get the fifth one out

* * *

The trapper let his body lay on the same spot he had kept David. It was always a chore to lie down with the metal tools stuck in his shoulder. The closest he got to comfort was by laying on his left side and even that would give him headaches. Regardless of all that, there was still time before dinner, so he let his mind wander as his eyes closed.

"What am I doing?" It was a simple but futile question. The repetitive days passing by had become such a blur, that Evan sometimes couldn't remember whether one thing had happened yesterday or the day before. Stuck in this vicious loop of wait and kill, he had gotten bored pretty frequently. There had to be something more to do in this place. The killer retraced his steps, finding that the only memorable moments were the several ways he had caught and killed the survivors. Little details like which way he swung or how they ran flooded his thoughts. Evan was scared. It was widely known that the Entity was powerful, perhaps he had gone under its command and had been manipulated to feel this way. Or maybe not, and he was simply becoming the man he hated, his father.

What he wanted or what he had control over, these were old desires by now. This hell hole wouldn't let him know it. The Entity wouldn't allow it.

Out to the distance, sounds of crows gathered in a dark cloud. It had seeped its way into the forest. _"Speak of the devil, it's a bit early today._ " A cosmic crack clawed its way out of the ceiling. The Entity's thin legs caressed Evan's mask and whispered it's command.

* * *

David sprinted to the right, using the trees and walls as a means of hiding. _"Fuck, fuck- what the hell is this?!"_ When he had reached a palette far from where he saw the killer, the man went into a crouching stance, and slowly made his way to the center of the jungle gym. The dense mist around him was of a ghastly charcoal color, suffocating him as he tried to catch his breath. The same annoying silhouette of a generator stood in his blurred vision. That confirmed it; his hands trembled uncontrollably the closer he got to the structure. Making a fist, he took a harsh inhale despite the air and started working on the machine.

 _"Argh."_ The environment this time was much darker, forcing David to use his muscle memory. After a couple of failed tries and painful shocks connecting the wrong wire to another- he managed to find just the right combination without sacrificing too much time. When they had come together, the engine had rumbled to life. Lights above flickered more frequently as if teasing the man to fix it faster. While his hands did the work, he let his mind be occupied, how could he not? Was all that before just the Entity's way of feeding them hope? Just for the sake of our despair after? The cylindrical pipes began to pump in a nauseating motion, reproducing the same repetitive noise as all of them do. 

David reached over to the other side of the generator and continued messing around with the fidgety components within. _"Easy David, this is easy… I can do this."_ His own thoughts have brought no reassurance in his actions, but it calmed him down. He just had to get this part done and hope that the other three in the trial would make some significant progress as well. From the looks of it, David could tell that he was nearing the end with this one. The metal within the device had begun to heat up, with the last two pipes on the top nearing unison to the other monotonous tubes. 

Just as he neared the end, David froze. His heart jumped up to his ear and began a slow but desperate beat. The man's first instinct was to hide, wait until everything had settled and then finish what little was left to juice up the machine. But just as he left, his right hand was caught in between a wire that he had connected earlier. With stunning brightness, the engine boomed, a noise that broke the uniform shuffling of the pipes. When the last of the sparks flew off to the floor, David opened his eyes in terror, bolting towards the nearest brush. 

His heartbeats grew louder, like if a drum was lodged into his head. Then all of a sudden, the noise faded. David placed his hand against the tree in front of him and peeked out from the side. It didn't seem like the trapper was anywhere in sight, and the generator didn't seem like it had been damaged at all. _"Did he not notice?"_

Still crouching, David stepped one foot out of the tall grass and looked to his sides. But even with no obstacles, the mist made it difficult to see very far. In the quiet, he heard a strange breathing.

David whipped around and fell onto his back when he saw the looming man. Terrified, he tried to get some distance by shuffling backwards with his elbows. It didn't take long for his right arm to bump into one of the lockers behind him- only then did the trapper move. At that, the man pushed himself off the gravel and broke into a sprint- the trapper did not chase.

* * *

David finished the last generator without so much of a problem. He had gone through five of them like how usual trials go, but the only other person on the map this time was the trapper and not once did he give chase after their encounter. No matter the amount of mistakes the survivor made while repairing, Evan remained stationed within the killer shack. It had crossed David's mind before that perhaps this was another elaborate ploy from the Entity, but with the escape gates open, doubts turned to confusion.

He could leave the wretched place if he chose to cross the line, but an uneasy feeling in his chest told him otherwise. _"Why am I 'esitatin'?"_ David questioned, as if there were an invisible wall in front of him. Assuming that Dwight didn't hear his answer, he needed to get back. And with how long this had stalled him, it should've been enough to push him over.

David redirected his uncertainty towards the shack. It was relatively close to the exit, so much so that while he was opening the gates, he half expected the trapper to come out. Yet even when the power came in and a loud buzz filled the air, the killer remained unmoving. He became curious, and that got to the best of him. He crept up to the window and took a peek inside. A pencil and sketchbook had occupied the hands of the trapper. Was this what he has been up to this entire time? 

Unfortunately, stealth was not David's forte. He had tried to get a better view by using the window frame as a support, but the brittle wood eventually gave in to his weight.

Evan jumped up to the sound and spun around frantically, knocking the wooden box he was sitting on away. He locked eyes with the survivor for a moment before switching over to his drawings to which he tore out and crumbled. 

"Why did you come back here?" The trapper's voice was rough and bore with it a sense of fatigue.

"You draw?" 

Setting his sketchbook down, Evan quickly adjusted his mask and grabbed his weapon. David backed away from the window but didn't flee. In another attempt to scare off the nosy man, he lunged forward, lodged his cleaver into the remains of the frame, and pushed the upper quarter of his body through the window. "I can kill you right now." he says.

"But you're not goin' to right?"

"Don't push your luck." Evan kicked below the window, shattering the thin wall and creating an opening big enough to go through. He wondered if he could shoo away the intruder one last time but alas, sighed when the man had stood his ground. "I'm not in the killing mood right now." 

David laughed nervously and walked past the armed killer. He could swear that the trapper had scowled behind him, though that alone didn't bother the survivor. What did however, was himself. David knew his limits and thrived with them. He knew of his own recklessness, how at times he was bold and brash. He knew there were times he shouldn't be. This was one of them. Staying another second more was absurd, but he was curious, he wanted to know more. 

David leaned down to pick up the crumbled piece of paper and was promptly stopped from unfolding it with an iron grip to his wrist. Unlike his usual exposed and bloodied arms, the killer had gloves that covered his entire forearm. "Can I 'ave a look?" David asked.

Evan gave a push and grabbed the other wrist, pinning the man to the floor. It made a loud thud that echoed to the basement. The killer was heavy, a lot heavier than David would have expected. By now, the only thing separating the two of their faces was the mask in between, "What are you getting at? My good side?!"

"L-Look 'ere at who's talkin'! You took care of me last night!" 

"You, that was-"

"Aye, and you did a shitty job with the bandages." 

Struggling to come up with an excuse, the trapper directed his frustration elsewhere. "Well it wouldn't have happened if you didn't step in my trap!" David let out a soft groan as the killer's grip tightened- the pressure cut off the blood flow to his hand. Images of his father flashed by his head when he realized that the man beneath was in pain. In an impressive speed, he rose up, having to balance himself so as not to fall backwards. 

Evan gave another sharp sigh and went back to retrieve his weapon. A part of the rusted blade had chipped off from the force he had put into his swing earlier. It was no longer to his liking despite still being deadly. And with a good flick of his hand, the blade lost itself somewhere in the dense forest. He took a glance at David before picking his sketchbook back up and seating himself in the corner. "Do what you want."

* * *

"Is that me?" 

David held the drawing towards the moon. He thought that the sketches of a murderer would be messy, clearly showing some hint of psychopathic tendencies. Turns out, the trapper could do a bit more than scribbles. The rough paper was in large part smeared after he attempted to smooth it out, but the survivor could still make out most of the details. Evan had drawn the picture with mainly primitive shapes, the kind of thing you'd see modern design companies do. Uniform teardrops zigzagged on the page as if to represent rain. A light combination of squares and triangles backdropped the piece in an arrangement similar to that of a shed. And in the center of it all, a loose cluster of curves and shading brought out the shape of a man, caught in a bear trap. 

Even with only using a few selection of shapes, the different sizes and angles made for a flowy and clean linework. It… bewildered David. All this time, art has never held a special place in his heart. He remembers moments of the past when he still lived with his parents, how his father would consult in a couple of paint splatters more than he would look at him. His father calls them "masterpieces". The piece the killer had created seems to contradict every fiber of his appearance and actions. Evan was stoic, rigid, unbalanced- he was none of what he puts on paper. David wanted to know more.

Evan peers over from his drawing to the man by the other window. He grimaced when David had turned back and looked down in humiliation. He heard not the light footsteps of the survivor, but the haunting thumps of his fathers. Dreadfully, he awaited a harsh critique that never came. Instead, David held the drawing towards him. "I don't know why you 'ave't go and crush it, I think it looks great."

He takes it confused and amazed at the same time. How long has it been since anyone has ever complimented his drawings? Has that ever happened in the first place? "I'll admit, aside from ye killing me mates, you ain't 'alf bad. Now then… I think I better 'ead off-"

The trapper stood up abruptly, "Do you want to see my sketchbook?" he blurted. 

"I- uh, well why not? I've some time."

Evan led him down and sat besides David on the basement stairs. On closer look, the survivor noticed that the sketchbook was filled with uneven papers jutting out from within. He skimmed through it for a brief moment to find that most of the pages had already been filled to the brim with different drawings, all with the same distinct style from earlier. "How did juh get something like this?" 

"The Entity, it came out a bit messed up, but it's usable." 

"Y-You can talk to it?"

The man shook his head. "No, it just came down and… gave it to me." It was like a one-sided relationship with the Entity. No one other than maybe Michael knew what the Entity was doing. If he did, well, no one has heard him talk before anyway. 

"So you drew before? Before you came 'ere?"

Evan gripped his fist tightly and hesitated to answer. He had wanted to dissociate from his life before, especially memories of his upbringing. It didn't help that the circumstances felt just the same. This realm the Entity had placed him in- it was the same perpetual restriction as before, only more physical than mental. Before he knew it, the trapper began divulging his past.

"I tried to. But my father disapproved." 

David stopped flipping through the sketchbook and laughed, "You too eh? Most of me mates back 'ave family issues. Mine was an arsehole." 

"He's- He's not that… " The trapper's voice trailed off as he saw a smile on David's face. He remembered this feeling very well, the same from his younger years. No matter how faint it had gotten through the years, the warmth never left his mind.

"Yeah, he was an asshole." He wonders if he has made a new friend.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh writing difficult


	5. Make Your Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one took longer than the rest ;; ill update I-IV following this

* * *

David came back to a terrifying sound- a cry for help that nobody wanted to hear. He came back to silence. Only whispers jumped between the wounded survivors, but those noises did nothing to drive away the horror that plagued their faces. It reeked of despair, and that was enough to make the man take a step back. If not his body, his mind certainly ran away- as he had no words. 

Claudette jumped from her seat and quickly embraced David with a hug. Her fingers trembled as though she had dipped herself in freezing water. Quiet murmurs of reassurance left her mouth and she patted his back like a mother comforting her child. Reassurance for what- David knows not.

As she parted, her eyes progressed from worry to pain. "I'm… I'm so sorry David. I can't imagine what you went through." The botanist clenched her fist and hung her head down in defeat. Even with her face obscured, David could feel her eyes struggling to hold tears back. Claudette's voice was naturally one for sympathy, but this level of concern… it was disturbing. He directed his attention past her and found that only a few sat by the bonfire.

He opened his mouth to speak but his lips had begun trembling- his shoulders tensed up.  _ "What was going on? Why is everyone so quiet? Where is everyone?" _ The questions grew as the absence of explanation fed the suspense. It drove him mad not knowing, yet he was also afraid of what's to come. Did he want to know? What did he want to know? 

In the clutter of emotions, he musters two words. "What happened?" 

Dwight approached David to tell him of the news but a violent slam to a table stopped him in his tracks. "God damn it! God fucking damn it!" Multiple heads turned to Meg as her shrill voice broke the silence. She was beyond pissed off. She was livid. "They played with us… gave us false hope that there was something good in this shit hole! That's just too cruel, have we not suffered enough-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Nea stood up and threw an empty bowl at the athlete- shattering Meg's train of words. Her hair mimicked her rage and her manner of speaking was unalike what David was used to. "Be considerate for once and give him some space! He's had it a lot worse than us just now."

Meg held her own arm as she recovered from her flinch. It was clear that she felt horrible as her widened eyes transitioned into those of regret. She had lost her cool, and of all people, in front of the man she had sworn to be better than. For a moment that felt like eternity, she seated herself on the table and tried to piece together a proper apology. A sharp sigh escaped her mouth, "That was selfish of me, I'm sorry everyone," and she looked to the two she had shouted over, "Sorry Dwight, sorry David."

With that, she leapt down and took off into the bushes. The last of her words stuck to David as he had never heard her choke up before. Dwight stuffed his hands into his pockets. Still partially stunned, he began, "Everyone besides me and Claudette, were dragged into a trial. And they had to face off against a killer on their own. They were, they were being- tortured." 

David took a quick glance at those by the bonfire- their eyes were devoid of life and they had nothing to add. The lack of response made his heart drop, as it essentially confirmed what he had just heard.  _ "Am I the only who didn't…?" _ David briefly ran his hand through his hair and took a better look around him in disbelief. A defiant fire was still roaring with life against the dark sky. Utensils had littered the place and a playful smoke danced through the air, like if a party or something equivalent was underway. Even the trees seem to dance with vigor. The only thing that didn't belong were the people that were supposed to be taking it in. What a joke.

Considering there was so much space, much of the place was unoccupied. David counted seven others in the area. "Where is everyone else? D-Don't tell me they're still-"

"You're the last one." The old soldier was hunched over by the fire with his hands folded together. He had regained his cold heart and a familiar foul expression had chiseled itself onto his face. "We almost thought you weren't coming back. Do you know how long you were in there for? Though I'm sure it felt longer-" Bill takes out his silver pocket watch, "-an hour and a half. Everyone else is away unwinding right now." 

"Biggest understatement yet." Nea added.

As David witnessed his comrades going back and forth, he couldn't help but catch the several small notes of their experience as they came in. Each and every one of them had suffered. Under the explicit descriptions, minutes of discomfort felt like hours of actual torture. Parasites. The atrocious and filthy comments were small malicious creatures that slipped in- eventually taking over and becoming the bulk of the conversation. David knew he could take no more, and with his head barely above the waters of guilt, he had to get away.

"Sorry, I need some time."

* * *

_ "It's so hard to breathe." _ Every puff of air flickered on and off like wild static. Stench. Abusive stench left scratch marks on his mind.  _ "Pain in the fuckin' ass." _ he thought. The smell was invading his head, not that it made it any harder to concentrate with the heaviness of guilt crushing his shoulders. But he trudged on, hoping- no, desperately clawing for even the smallest bit of respite within the thicket. The minty waves of pine no longer cleansed his heart. It stung. It stung so much. It stung because he had been defiled by a sympathy with no weight. It stung to a point that made calming breezes be gusts of winds that punished, that pushed him back. It stung all the way until he reached the riverbank. David felt like weak trash.

Dwight had never seen the man he admired hang his head so low and walk with such a painful stagger. He wasn't sure what was the right thing to do, but he wanted to reach out. In order to give the man some space and follow at the same time, he paced a good ten feet behind- pebbles kicking up from the ground as his eyes swung back and forth between the floor and David's back.  _ "I have to help." _ It had all become a mess by now, what went wrong and all. Everything was building itself up, like if the moment was personalized for him. Did he pour his feelings out just to have them scatter? Never to be reciprocated? How was he supposed to confront him? Especially at this time? Unjust frustration naturally drilled itself into Dwight's head; he hated himself, he wanted an answer. He wanted the right answer, the  _ only _ answer that would make him satisfied. Wanting it so much blurred the lines with what he came here for. Was he here for David? Or himself? What was he to David?

The barrage of rustling leaves left David's ears as he stepped into the silver light. He didn't fit, he never did in this serene place. The moon was shedding its soft glow, glistening against the field of rocks that decorated the bank. In the distance, the sound of a great waterfall echoed while the comforting swishing of waters here shimmered with a light luster. David held his glare into it. He sought something, anything that would wipe away the ugly feelings he was going through. A distorted pathetic face stared back.  _ "What the hell am I doing?" _

Dwight found a tree to lean on in the shade. Fearing it would be intruding, he dared not to step into the light. He simply observed David who had been kneeling, frozen in thought. "What d'ya want Dwight?" The man's finally said. His voice had been stripped of his usual swing in tone. 

"I was worried about you." The shy leader readjusted his glasses. For some reason, his hands had become clammy even in the cool air. "You weren't looking so good, so I came in to check on you."

The hurt in his voice was clear. David gave a lacking laugh and chucked a rock into the water, and then another. "Shut up already. That's not really why you're here in-it?" His hands force-fed themselves as they ravaged the pile of rocks besides him. One by one, they progressed from light skipping to barbaric throws- until he eventually flung one past the river. "You're filled with goddamn bullshit." 

The color on Dwight's face went to a ghostly pale as the man came over, grabbed him by his shirt, and slammed him against the rough bark. David's eyes held a light tint of red as if on the verge of breaking into tears. And his hands… Dwight didn't know if they shook with fear or anger. "D-David? Calm down, I just want to help. This isn't-"

"Don't tell me who I am!" he barked, "I know what you're gettin' at. You're just like the rest of 'em! Always lookin' for a way to use me, never thinking about what I want!" David couldn't explain his rage. He had come here to drown out the pain, but now he was projecting it on Dwight. "You say you're worried? You say you want to help?! Well I don't need your help! What do you think you can do? Give me some pity and suddenly everything's alright? Why don't you just take a hint and leave me the fuck alone?!"

David's grip wasn't particularly tight but Dwight still felt rooted in place. "What are you saying David? We can-"

The man pushed his lips onto Dwight's to give a brutal kiss. His method was aggressive, twisting and turning his tongue so to overwhelm. Irrational thoughts sped by effortlessly as Dwight struggled to breathe. Finally, the man let's go and wipes his mouth with his arm, "Got what you want?"

"I- David, I don't understand… please, let me help-"

"Get out of here." 

* * *

Evan trailed behind the flickering images of Rin Yamaoka. The images of her body twitched in place as she blinked towards the rest of the killers; it made him uncomfortable seeing her face quickly run through an array of emotions, but he dared not say it. The spirit had been guiding him to the river. As promised, she and Amanda had discovered one while they were out hunting for animals. Everyone was ecstatic, why wouldn't they be? It meant bringing a quality of life to their community, to spice up this endless cycle. Fresh water to drink, to bathe in, and fish as a new option for food. They were taken care of by the Entity, but in a way that was beyond sloppy. They returned from trials doused with unclean water, stomachs partly refilled with stale bread, and their fatigue… well that stayed. This was something new.

"Over here." The voice was raspy, but comprehensible, more so than ever. It was proof that they already had their share of drinkable water. The spirit was to the left of him, down an incline poorly structured with uneven planks as a means of grip. The makeshift crumbled easily at the touch, almost sending Evan tumbling down. He had expected Rin to give him a death stare since she was the one who assembled the now broken stairs but not one bit of resentment flashed by her face. Instead, her posture was jubilant- excitement had clearly masked over any need for anger. Evan continued behind her, influenced by her joy and expectant of great things. Then, the bright scene unfolded in front of him.

Most of the killers were waist deep into the river with expressions he had never seen them wear before. Their iconic outfits and masks were sprawled on top of the several huge rocks scattered across the area. Nearest to him was the doctor, who had removed his morbid face accessory. Then there was Adiris, who despite her devotion, had removed her ceremonial crown. Even Sally Smithson, the nurse, had taken off her face bag. Were it not for context, half of these he would've assumed to be new survivors. 

"Evan!" The direction of the familiar voice brought upon a greater surprise. "You slept for quite some time! I had to go hunt by myself this morning!" It was Anna. The manner in which she walked, hunted, and talked, it was always clear that she had been amongst the most beautiful of the killers. But without her mask, she knocked everyone out of the competition. Her built silhouette radiated with the calm sun and her unobscured face held soft eyes that worked alongside her smooth hair. 

Anna stepped out of the water and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Oh don't worry about it, I don't blame you. Was the survivor giving you trouble yesterday? I've been meaning to ask when you were the last one back but you went to sleep right after." Evan didn't respond, his head faced the others but he was fixated to the corner of his eye at the huntress.

She turned her head the same way, "Ahh, there's a different feeling in the air right? They all look like just normal humans this way."

She was right. He had never seen his own group in this light before. Out to the distance, he could see a cluster of young adults playing some kind of game. Their thieving movements and swingy acrobatics were easily recognizable as the legion. They had been circling around the trees and sprinting all around like if they were in a game of tag- but that quickly went out of focus as Amanda ran up to Evan and presented a cooked fish.  _ "When was the last time I had fish?" _ He quickly ate it through the small opening of his mask much to the surprise of Anna who was taking it in slowly. Nodding in satisfaction, the girl skipped away to give the same offer to the others.

Evan found Anna lightly hunched over with her hands behind her back, staring directly up at him. "What?" He finished the last bit of flesh remaining on the fish and spat out the bones. "I just think you should take off your mask sometime." she said.

"I do… occasionally." Anna placed her hand against her mouth to suppress her laughter. She was still in the middle of eating. "In front of everyone I mean! I don't believe I've ever seen your face."

"And I intend to keep it that way." The trapper replied in monotone and  reached behind his head to fasten the strings of his mask. Evan had never been a fan of his own face, it reminded him too much of his father. Every peak behind the mask led to the mirror meeting his fist. He couldn't tell if the Entity was purposely messing with him, or if he genuinely saw the man he hated the most in himself. The woman gave a look of pain but then did a lazy fanning motion towards Evan, like someone shooing away a cat. "Suit yourself. Anyway, you should go downstream and clean yourself, I think everyone's already had their turn."

It had seemed true enough he thought as he slid down to where a terrific waterfall had formed from above. There was no sign of another killer anywhere on the lower side- even the lively noises that occupied the higher river became muffled to the crashing waters. Evan placed his bear traps around the trees, and with the last bits of paranoia dissipating, he stripped and carefully laid his clothes on a patch of dried rocks, including his mask. 

As he felt the brunt of the cold pour, haunted and sealed memories resurfaced. A time back when icy showers were all that he had to work with while cleaning himself. Worse yet, his punishment for hiding his drawings had him taking a bath outside in the cold wintery night. Luckily, nobody was around to witness that shameful act. Following every command his father issued soon became a staple to his pride- or what's left of it. But even after years of doing so, the pain had never washed itself away. The bitter coldness now was nothing compared to then. 

Evan went on with his thoughts, a tornado of the horrid past. Were it not for the fish that had fallen and hit him, he would've stayed under the onslaught of the waterfall. He would've stayed lost in thoughts about all the different ways he could've stopped his father's abuse. Stayed lost in thoughts about  _ him _ .

* * *

He had originally planned to join in with the rest of everyone once he cleaned up, but by then an uncomfortable feeling had wriggled its way into his stomach. It was not like the typical stomach ache where pain would periodically poke fun from within his body. It was one where it felt like he was on the edge of a bad cramp, and that forced him to take slow strides. He did so with his back arched, as if trying to keep his abdominal muscles from accidentally stretching. 

Reaching the top of the slope, he immediately found Anna again. She lightly brushed against her ragged skirt as she stood up from a rock. "Evan? Are you alright?" Evan had long since found comfort in the lady. She was strange but made for a great leader. Sometimes her actions would appear so meticulous, it wouldn't be a stretch to call her a genius… some do already. She was everything he wanted to be. She was level-headed, and always kept herself on everyone's frequency. Impartial. That's a good word. So fair she wouldn't stop bothering him, even after he had lashed out that one time. The huntress was an ideal.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to head back."

"What th-?! No way! So soon? You should really talk to us more, you know?"

The trapper closed his eyes and shook his head reluctantly. The temptation to stay was there alright. "I'll consider it, I'm just not feeling well… so I'll get going."

Anna agreed and watched from afar as he slowly got out of view. Her eyes were not of surveillance but of concern.

When Evan had reached his shack, he found the oni sitting by his porch. "Ahh! Young man! I've been waiting for you!" The big man did his best to use english but of course with his origins, the words were barely recognizable with the strong accent. His usual ironclad outfit had been replaced with a more casual look resembling a modern tank top which highlighted the muscles underneath. Before the trapper could finish admiring the sight, Kazan had used his weight to charge at and hug Evan. "Haha! I heard you weren't looking very well Evan! I thought I'd do the honors and fix that."

Evan couldn't help but smile as the bigger man held him tightly. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm doing fine." It was followed by a light hiss- as he expected. "Argh- this can't be?!" Kazan sandwiched the sides of Evan's face with his hands, "You  _ really _ don't look well at all!"

"Hey Kazan, am I a good friend?"

The oni lets go of Evan to scratch his head for a brief moment before crossing his arms, "How should I know?! You should talk more!!  _ Gahaha _ !"

Evan hesitated but understood. "I see, I'll try harder." 

Kazan looked around for any sign of a potential friend and eventually laid his eyes on the demogorgon. "Well that's a good place to start!" From the side, the man took a bowl and lightly flung the last slab of meat towards Evan. "We can practice now." The trapper looked back in confusion but understood when the oni pointed at the starving beast. "Friends do things for one another. I'm always the one doing it but I'm sure he wouldn't mind another friend! Come on, toss him one!" Evan opened his mouth to reject the offer only to stop at the sight of a triumphant smirk, as though the oni knew that this was the right thing to do.

The trapper sighed and made his way towards the cage that kept in the creature. Surprisingly, it was much more fragile than he would've expected.  _ "This could easily be destroyed," _ he thought,  _ "At least, it doesn't seem that hostile…" _ Carefully, he leaned over and shook the meat. In almost an instant, the demogorgon went on all fours and snatched it up. A heavy laugh bursted from behind him, "Yep, he definitely likes you alright!" 

Evan caught himself laughing alongside the man. He didn't remember the last time he had been joyful enough to have his body push out a laugh. Perhaps he was not as numb as he thought he was. As the pain from his stomach turned into a comforting warmth, Evan thinks back on the interactions he had with the community. Had he been just turning a blind eye to everyone?

"Hey I got a great idea! We have to go fishing sometimes! I'll show you my technique from earlier!" Evan gave a look of wonder and confusion as the oni flexed and emphasized his biceps.

* * *

A tremor of pain crawled through his skin when Evan opened the door to find his cleaver on the table, fully repaired and in perfect condition. But he shook it off. Why was he getting so jumpy now? The Entity had done this so many times already. He instead directed his attention to the stairs causing an indescribable feeling of desire to sweep over him. Not knowing why, the killer raced upstairs to find that not much had changed. The door was still broken and in splinters across the floor. The dried leaves and the ragged cloth now laid suspended from the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers across one of the wooden boxes keeping the structure together to find that a crack had formed where he had pinned the other man.  _ "Perhaps I shouldn't have been so rough." _

Evan cursed his own thoughts. He couldn't deny that somewhere in his mind, he had fantasized that David would be there when he came up.  _ "Ugh… I need to get some rest." _ The trapper returned downstairs where he opened a hatch that led to the basement. Disregarding the indents on the sides of the wall, he reached the bottom with a single leap. This is where he truly called home, the cold helped him fall asleep. Lazily, Evan pinned up the wrinkled drawing of David, turned on the broken radio to fill the silence, and jumped on top of a cot- one that had holes in them to compensate for the tools sticking out of his shoulder. Comfort. And dreams.

* * *

A shriek of agony threw David out of a nightmare. The details of it faded away as the fight or flight sensation pricked his heart, making him run in the direction of the scream. He wondered who had been making such a racket? Noon had just past and the unforgiving sun was looming over the forest. It matched his hoarse breathing and parched throat. And as though the heat hadn't done so already, seeing Laurie by the exhausted bonfire made him break into a sweat. She had a crowd, and there were no cheers.

Her face became utter darkness as a shadow casted itself below her hairline, with only strands of her blond hair to fill the void. The lady had given off such despair that it easily outweighed the gravity of yesterday. Tiny mentions of "killer" and "forest" squeezed itself out of the crowd; David's arm twitched to it,  _ "I don't like the sound of that." _

Instinctively, David went to Claudette for insight and noticed that she still wore a sympathetic look. It left a bad taste in his mouth and felt unworthy to look her in the eyes. He knew fully well what they thought he went through- and that he wouldn't have the courage to reveal his side of the story. The botanist's shoulders were tense and her arms hunched up against her body, as if trying to make herself appear smaller. "What's going on Claud?"

"David… Laurie ran into a killer."

* * *

While the commotion was still fresh, David found the right timing to sneak out. He had feared for what it meant if the killers discovered their only safe haven. More than fear though, he had found hope. Maybe he could remedy the situation before things got out of hand. After all, he was on good terms with one of them right? Would doing so would cleanse this dirty guilt off him? Unknowing to him however, he was being watched. Meg bit her own lip as she saw the man plunge into the trees.

The exhaustive trials must've done a number on David as his instincts felt impaired. He had tried his best to retrace his steps, but every foot forward questioned his memory. Aimlessly, he wandered around until the sun had begun to set, ripping the stark shadows of leaves from the ground. Now he knew he only had a few more hours until his dim surroundings became pitch black. 

David stared up at the sky, wondering if he should just give this up and return to the camp. Suddenly, he felt the collar of his jacket being pulled back and a glint of light reflecting off metal blinded him. He had been lifted from the ground and flung into a patch of tall grass. "What th…" Evan was standing on guard against another killer. The unpredictable one who stood awkwardly while stalking their prey. Michael Myers slid his knife past the trapper's cleaver and aimed for the survivor, catching Evan's shoulder in the process. Still with his weapon in hand, Evan retaliated with a punch square in the man's face. Myers jumped back and held his mask in pain- his stance came to an end as he regained his composure and stood menacingly. "Hands off." the trapper said, and Myers disappeared into the bushes.

A small grunt left the injured man as he cupped his shoulder. Drops of blood had made their way down Evan's fingers as it flowed out from the cracks between his knuckles. "H-Hey, you alright?!" The killer simply reopened a trap to the side and kicked it through the bushes. He had done so with skill, enough to keep it facing up despite the rocky ground. Still unanswering, he turned his head to the survivor and then back to leave, as if signaling him to follow. When the two had arrived in the same shack David had been kept in prior, the trapper locked the door and let out a tired breath, "So what are you doing here?" 

* * *

Evan unfolded his arms and tossed his weapon onto a stool nearby, where it bounced off, landing it on the ground. "From the sounds of it, it looks like Michael came close to your camp. I don't think people here will catch on, they don't talk to him."

But he knew that answer wouldn't have been enough. After all, Evan knew things would get much more twisted if everyone found out that the survivors were on the same plane as them. Some killers wouldn't know when to take a break. "I will talk to him. It's getting dark, you should stay." David gave a conflicted look but nodded after he took a peak out of the blinds. The survivor explored around the place for a moment before turning back to Evan. "Grr, you should really get that patched up, I feel bad." 

David pointed at the cut on the trapper's shoulder. It was about the same thickness as all his other scars, what was one more to him anyway? The man wouldn't take it though- he took out an exhausted roll of gauze and a small alcohol flask. There was no way he had enough fabric to do a complete shoulder wrap but he continued anyway. After clumsily cleaning the wound, he improvised by using Evan's armpit as the base for where the gauze would go around. "Won't stay too long, but this'll work."

Immediately after he fastened the last bit of the fabric into a knot, David started exploring Evan's home. His eyes were easily drawn to a hatch that protruded out from the floor. It had the same look as the occasional ones he'd find in the trials, but this one was much more cleaner- not that it meant much saying so as it was still very roughed up. "What's this?" David asked while flipping it open and beginning his way down. Evan grabbed him before he had the opportunity to reach the floor, "It's where I sleep, and have some courtesy. This is my place."

David's second option was to go upstairs but Evan quickly stopped him on that too. "Not up either. I don't want people to see you through the windows. I'm taking a huge risk keeping you here in the first place- behave yourself."

David placed his hands on his hips; he had hoped for some kind of gratitude, being out of alcohol now and all, "Haha… alright bud. What is there to do here anyway?" Evan had thought of the same question everyday, but he reconsidered in hopes he finds a new answer. In the end, he still went with "sleep". Even he felt like sighing alongside David to the boorish offer. "Ugh, you can go down then."

Evan follows reluctantly after the now energized David to the basement, shutting the hatch behind him. He had never let anyone else enter his space so easily before nor does he remember the last time descending took this long. The trapper couldn't help but start hyper fixating on the little things in the moment. Tiny scratches occupied the dull and boring walls, likely from his tools. His shoulder felt stiff but secure in the wrap, and it made for an easier time holding on to the small dents. By no means was the journey down convenient though. Evan's weight made sure that he held on tighter than ever until he had finally reached the floor.

"Woah." David's impatient momentum came to a slow shuffle. The room had been much more spacious than he would've imagined for a basement. "You did all this?" He stared in fascination at the wall by the entrance. Scraps of paper had filled it, pinned in a way that made it seem like one huge drawing. "These are all the places the Entity brings us to right?"

Evan nodded, pointing to the several notable locations until he had reached the black spot where he had crossed it out.  _ "The MacMillian Estate." _ David thought. From his talk with the trapper during the last trial, he knew it would be an uncomfortable topic. Holding his tongue, David took a step back to admire the work in its entirety. "I like it, I like it all. Anyway," the man yawned and did a small stretch, "I'll take up on your offer to sleep." He found one of the cots and took an awkward attempt at climbing on to it, but ended up having to have the trapper help him up.

Evan took one of his clean killer aprons from a hook to the side and threw it over David. Compared to the man, the trapper's clothes easily served as a big blanket. The texture reminded the survivor of biker jackets, but he kept his mouth shut as the warmth of it grew. "A bit hard fallin' asleep with you standing there you know?" David gave another sign of disapproval when the killer grabbed a nearby chair. "That doesn't help…"

"I still don't fully trust you." Evan mumbled.

David smirked and closed his eyes, " You're actually a pretty cool guy."

The killer continued to stand over David, fumbling around with words to find a reply, but when he had come up with some semblance of a response, the man had already fallen asleep. Evan scratched his head, "Is this the right thing to do?" Besides the other killers finding out, the Entity must've knew full well what was happening. What was it trying to do? Questions and mind games at the Entity soon became directed at himself- as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

Evan reopened his eyes when he heard the sound of the apron moving to find David now inches from his mask. He had gotten used to being close to faces as it was his method of intimidation, but this one brought forth a seductive feeling. At the sight of David's hands reaching up, he grabbed it by the wrist but his grip had no strength. Slowly, he let the man raise his mask until he exposed his lips. David held his hand behind Evan's head as if to pull him to a kiss, but the trapper pushed in return. The survivor kept his hold, not forceful, not letting go, just still, waiting to see what the killer does. Evan does not know why he didn't push harder, why was such a man latched on to him, and why being this close was awfully comforting. He gave in to it, and moved his lips closer to David's as the survivor's hand softly guided the trapper. They met with a kiss.

It wasn't anything particularly amazing at first no- the act itself felt gross and sloppy, like the works of someone desperate. But it had triggered something in Evan. His heart had begun beating uncontrollably, for the first time because he was flustered as opposed to bloodlust. With what little he could see through the mouth portion of his mask, he saw someone vulnerable in the reflection of David's eyes, and it was not his father. He didn't hate that person, and he certainly didn't hate what he was doing right now. What started as playful pecking soon evolved into hungry gasps for air under the lustful smacking of lips. Evan didn't know that kisses were so intimate, that lips could feel so sensitive; he didn't know he could feel this way… about another person. His knees became weak under the intense nipping from David and the impossible-to-topple-over image he saw himself as fell on the cold ground. The survivor laid on top of the killer and opened his mouth in hopes to whip out a quick flirt; Words fell apart when he saw Evan's breaths quicken. His slow tongue movements filled Evan's mouth, playing with his as if encouraging the trapper to return the favor. He slung his arm over David and lightly pushed the man closer to his chest. Eventually, they found the right moment to part, to both of their reluctance. The trapper quickly readjusted his mask to hide his embarrassment and bewilderment.

"You suck at kissing." David whispered. 

"I-It's my first time."

David laughs and points between him and the trapper. "Want to 'ave a go?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u for readin


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